Sesquicentennial Stories: The Promise of UK #94

 

The first known annual at Kentucky State College was titled, The Memoria 1894 and was edited by Felix Kerrick. It contained a history of each class, a lengthy history of the University, and numerous feature articles.

 

The Kentuckian first appeared in 1899 as a monthly magazine and contained literary essays, poems, editorials, and gossip about campus life.  J.M. McDaniel was editor.  A series of the magazine-newspaper combination continued for several years.  Pictures and sports were gradually added.  

The KSC Blue and White, the first real annual, was published in 1903.  It had group class pictures and listed each graduate’s thesis, degree, and major.  It also included pictures and a history of each department.  

 

In 1904, William David Gray edited a yearbook called Echoes.  This was primarily a senior book with space devoted to individual pictures, nicknames, hometowns, activities, and a quote from each graduating senior.  There was no UK annual in 1905.

The first of the consecutive annual Kentuckians was published in 1906 and edited by Philip Rieflin.  This marked the beginning of great yearbook diversity.  Some have been modern, some reflective, some political, but each a great look into the history, culture, and success of the University of Kentucky.

The Kentuckian is still published today. Searchable, digital versions of the historic yearbooks are available at http://exploreuk.uky.edu